Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-15
PRISON MATTERS.


Ol Inc 0tate frlSOnS. IL lePicochtn'i'So
this paper several days since he outlined ;
policy he intended to pursue, which he i
gradually unfolding, and which will result
in change of affairs that will be gratifying
to the taxpayers of the State. His frs
| move is to reconstruct the Board of Direct
ors so that a policy will be pursued tina
will curtail the expenses of The prison man
agement, and which cannot help but please
the taxpayers throughout the State. Some
days ago it was definitely understood thai
Director Wilkins must step down and out
and on Saturday last the following was re
ceived at the Governors office:
SAN FRANCISCO, November A. 1887.
To His Erccuency K. w. Waterman, Governor o
CalVor7io-SIR Having private lnterest s ina
that cannot in justice to the state or myself
discharge the duties of State Prison Director,
hereby resign the same and ask you to &C
cept it. JAMES d. WILKINS
A SPECIAL MEETING.
As soon as this resignation was received
which by the way YVES not at all unex.
pected, Governor Waterman telegraphed
the Prison Directors to meet him that even
ing in his office at the Capitol. He desired
to confer with them upon the proposition
to expend $4,000 in building additional
jute works at San Quentin. He at once
gave them to understand that he was I'M
equivocally opposed to such an expense.
He regarded it as unbusiness like to spend
SO much of the peoples money in what he
thought was a foolish move. 1t certainly,
he held, was wrong to spend one dollar of
the States money for something that pri-
vate capital would not embark in and he
desired to lay before them plan of
his own which he thought would accom-
plish the desired end and save to the peo-
pie the vast amount of money proposed to
be used for additional machinery and
buildings He said he would like to talk
to them as business men, consider the
matter
FROM BUSINESS POINT
OF view. He had been carefully investiga
ted the matter from every conceivable
standpoint. OF the 1,200 prisoners at San
Quentin he found that only small pro-
portion were employed in the jute mill,
and as the Directors had seen proper to
shut down all the other industries many of
the convicts were left in idleness. Now,
he said, let us pursue business methods in
this matter. Let us follow in
tle same line of outside indus
tries and we will find happy
solution of this entire difficulty. Take for
instance the mines throughout the coast
Work is carried on in them day and night;
the sledge, the drill, the hammer are going
all the time by working three shifts of
eight hours each. This course could be
pursued say by working two shifts of eight
hours each. This would necessitate night
work, but as honest, Woodworking men
who are above committing crime are glad
to work in this way to support themselves
and their families, he did not think it any
hardship to work the criminal class in this
manner. To work two shifts would i'm
mediatelv
DOUBLE THE CAPACITY
OF the present works, and he understood
that this was all that was hoped to be
accomplished by the proposed outlay of
1852, 600 of the peoples money.
The matter was thoroughly discussed by
the Board, and every conceivable objection
was thoroughly canyassed. No good and
sufficient ground of objection could be
urged to the Governors proposition, and ii
was informally agreed that it should be
given fair trial. The change will be
made gradually, and,at first only two shifts
will be worked. In this way the mill will
be run sixteen hours day, instead of
eight hours, as at present. This should
double the output of the mill, and, if it
works well, then the third shift will be put
on. The only additional expense will be
the cost of power and maintaining the
electric lights in the mill, with a few extra
guards and overseers in the mill. The ex-
pensive new buildings and machinery will
not be paid for, and the money appros
priated for those purposes can be turned
back into the State treasury.
THE STATE WAREHOUSE.
At the recent meeting of the Prison Di-
rectors with the Governor, State Treasurer
and Secretary of State, it was fully under1
stood by the Directors and the newspaper
reporters that the three State officials agreed
upon all matters, and State Treasurer Her.
old especially Endorsed the acts of the
Governor, and so stated in open meeting.
Since that meeting the State Treasurer has
acted quite oueerly, and has stated openly
that he proposed to compel the Governor
to approve of the plans and specifications
of the proposed jute works and allow the
expenditure of the money. In order to do
this he thought be saw an opportunity
when the plans and specifications for the
warehouse for the protection of the State
series of school books were brought to him
for his signature.
HE DEFIANTLY REFUSED
To append bis name to the necessary pa
pers, and stated that he would do so when
the Governor signed away the $4,000 for
the jue works. In vain did citizens OF
Sacramento and friends of the State series
of textbooks appeal to him to allow the
expenditure of the $4,000. No, sir" he
said, and he was as immovable as the
Sphinx. 1t was currently reported, and is
very generally believed, that he was acting
part laid down for him by the Democratic
State Central Committee, and many of the
people who voted 10 place him in official
position have regretted that act, and he has
the hearty dislike of nearly every citizen
who is at all acquainted with the facts in
the case. The building
IS CRYING NECESSITY,
And should confagration take place al
the State Printing Office the State series o.
books would be set back for years, and
this commonwealth again be throttied by
book rings. People are more charitable
| capacity of friend to the book rings, an6
| hold to the opinion that. as one expressed
| it, he is bull-headed, elected to an Office
away above his capacity, and that before
| the expiration OF his term of Office he viii
| set up little autocracy all to himself. A
any rate, the people of this State whose
property is liable to destruction at any tim,
| by fire, and which cannot be replaced shor
| of at least two years, are at the mercy OF
the whims of an official whose only recon
mendation to the office was
HIS NATIONALITY
And not his fitness or ability to fill til,
| position. A little office sometimes turns
a mans head. 1t is understood that tn,
State Democratic Central Committee ha
| determined to antagonize every act of Gov
ernor Waterman, and in State Treasure
Herold they have found plant and will
ing tool. The Governor can stand it i
| they can, but it is well enough to let tn,
people know the true inwardness of tn,
| entire affair. State Treasurer Herold, by
the vote of the people, is boss of the situa
| ton, and be says to them: You shall
| not have store. house for your books, fol
your electrotype- plates, for your stock o
! material, etc. Let it be stored from cellal
to garnet in wooden building liable to b.
consumed at any time. The State Demo
| cratic Central Committee has ordered it so
| and obey their edicts"
The Governor has appointed J. K. Lut
trell Prison Director, vice Wilkins, re
signed, and his commission was ISSUED
yesterday. Mr.. Luttrell is Democrat, ant
thoroughly competent for the position.
[ 1t is rumored that General McComb will
lkbe transferred from the management of th,
Folsom Prison to that at San Quentin, ant
| Mr. Shirley thp prespOt Warden will HI